Bierd got out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam, allowing one run in relief of Daniel Cabrera on Wednesday. The run was credited to Cabrera, and Bierd pitched two innings, allowing no runs of his own in his major league debut.

Bierd split time between Single-A and Double-A last season and posted a 2.93 ERA and a 81:16 K:BB ratio in 67.2 innings over both levels. Despite the strong K:BB ratio, the Tigers left him unprotected for the Rule 5 draft this winter, perhaps indicating they didn't think his big year was all that real. Bierd will be 24 years old at the start of the season, so he needs to make it to Triple-A this season and keep dominating batters if he wants to force his way onto the radar in Detroit.